Lyudmyla Kichenok, Estrella Candela cruise into the third qualifier round –Budapest Grand Prix 2011
Ukrainian tennis player Lyudmyla Kichenok thrashed out Paula Ormaechea of Argentina 6-4, 6-3 to make it to the main draw of 2011 Budapest Grand Prix in Hungary. Kichenok made a slow start to the match as she struggled to time the
ball early in the opening set. However in the second set she raised the level of her game and put up a great show to end the match in straight sets.
Ranked 377th in the Women’s Tennis Associaiton rankings, Kichenok suffered a serve in the fourth game of the opener to trail 3-1 in the set. Her foot work quite ordinary and she struggled to get to the ball on a number
of occasions. The Ukrainian had her first chance of breaking the serve in eight game of the set, which she converted successfully to shift the momentum on her side. Breaking the serve again with the scoreline at 4-4, she took a vital 5-4 lead, serving for
the set. Taking four straight points on her next serve game, Kichenok took the set score lead 1-0.
The second set also followed a very similar trend with both players fighting to get the first break. Making two serve breaks in the set, Kichenok raced to 5-1 lead. Despite a good come back from Ormaechea to reduce her game score
advantage to 5-3, she pocketed her next service game quite comfortably to wrap up the contest that lasted for one hour and 40 minutes.
Defeating a player ranked much higher than herself in the WTA rankings will certainly help Ukrainian find confidence in her game play and on-court abilities. She showed great determination and fighting spirit to stay in the match
as Ormaechea was in the driving seat at one stage. Serving with control and accuracy, she converted 73 per cent of the points on her first serve. A good defensive strategy ensured her dominance in the serve return department as well as she claimed nearly 45
per cent points on the Argentine’s serve.
Meanwhile, number four seed Estrella Cabeza Candela defeated Tatiana Poutchek of Belarus 6-0, 6-3 in the second round of WTA qualification tournament.
Candela made a brilliant start to the match as she looked to be in her comfort zone. Smashing her astonishing forehand and backhand winners all over the court, she bagged the opening set without dropping single game.
Poutchek put up a good fight in the second set as she won three of her service games. However she couldn’t stop her rival from earning a straight sets victory in a match that lasted for only one hour and nine minutes.
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